MyCoast: from 1,000 complaints in 5 days – Audits and fines

Extended checks on 14 beaches throughout the country, which collected the most complaints from citizens, were carried out by the real estate services of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance in cooperation with the Greek Police and the local Municipalities.

It is typical that in just 5 days more than 1,000 citizen complaints were examined, of which 604 were submitted through the MyCoast as well as hundreds of telephone complaints (over 400) collected by the estate services.

From the audits carried out, it emerged that the picture in concessions for business activity on the beaches is clearly better than in previous years.

However, from a part of the products that were checked, violations were found ranging from the absence of marking to the excesses of the space occupied by additional umbrella seats and other structures.

In addition, 3 companies were sealed because they did not have a concession contract, while in total they have been fined more than 350,000 euros so far.

The Minister of National Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis stated: ” With continuous checks throughout the country and utilizing modern technologies, we put into practice our proposal to implement legality everywhere. The mass checks of the last few days show that the image on the beaches is clearly more improved than in previous years. There are, however, foci of illegality that are identified – often with the contribution of the citizens themselves – and are dealt with by applying the legislation in its entirety. Our goal is to protect, on the one hand, both the environment and the citizen’s right to free access to the beach, and on the other hand, to preserve our tourist product as well as the healthy entrepreneurship represented by businesses that do the right thing their work ».

In detail, the beaches that collected the most complaints nationwide and were checked as a matter of priority are the following:

Kryoneri beach in the Municipality of Parga.

169 complaints through the MyCoast app and dozens of phone complaints made by 13 businesses were investigated. In all of them, arbitrary use of an additional part of the beach that exceeded the agreed area was found.

Valtos Beach in Parga Municipality.

50 citizen complaints were examined and 2 additional charges were imposed for the arbitrary use of an additional part of the beach that exceeded the agreed area.

The umbrella seats were immediately removed by the owners of the products.

Lagonisi Beach in the Municipality of Sithonia in Halkidiki.

49 complaints were investigated and it was found that a part of the beach was over occupied by extra umbrella seats, which were immediately removed.

Thymari Beach in the Municipality of Anavyssos in Eastern Attica.

4 complaints were examined through the MyCoast application as well as dozens of telephone complaints from citizens. The business was sealed due to lack of an operating license and a fine of 220,000 euros was imposed.

Masouri beach in Kalymnos.

47 complaints were examined where violations were detected in all 8 businesses operating on the beach. Arbitrary use of an additional part of the beach that exceeded the agreed area and in some cases constructions within the beach were found.

NAOK beach in the city of Corfu.

10 complaints through the MyCoast app and dozens of citizen phone complaints were investigated. Illegal umbrella seats were detected and immediately removed.
Klima beach in Aegina. 43 citizen complaints were examined, but no violation was detected.

Nea Heraklia in the Municipal Community of Kallikrateia in Halkidiki.

41 complaints were investigated.

In 6 of the 8 businesses where they operate in the area, no violations were found, while in the rest, arbitrary use of an additional part of the beach that exceeded the agreed area was found.

Beach in the city of Rhodes where 40 complaints were examined.

Arbitrary constructions were found in businesses in the area for the companies that were issued demolition protocols.

Beach at “Nero Kallithea” location in Faliraki, Rhodes.

21 citizen complaints were examined through the MyCoast application and dozens of phone complaints, while a case file has already been created.

8 businesses were identified which had illegally occupied additional beach area with umbrella seats and constructions.

Lourou beach in Messolonghi.

33 complaints through the MyCoast app and dozens of phone complaints were investigated. An autopsy was performed on the business where arbitrary constructions, excesses of the leased area and alterations of the morphological area were found. The business was sealed and a fine of 36,566 euros was imposed.

Beach Agia Marina-Mikrolimano of the Municipality of Lavreotiki.

32 citizen complaints were examined. Arbitrary occupation of the beach and illegal constructions by the company operating there were found. The authorities proceeded to prosecute the company and impose a fine of 30,764 euros.

Beaches of Glaron, Agia Fotini and Karfa in Chios.

A total of 35 citizen complaints were examined. In a total of 22 concessions, 6 violations were found that related to the occupation by umbrella seats of additional beach areas beyond those agreed upon.

Schoinia and Zouberi beach in Eastern Attica.

30 citizen complaints were examined.

In the 4 businesses in Schinias, 1 business was found with an excess of space occupied by umbrella seats, while at Zouberi beach no violation was found out of the 6 businesses operating there.

The checks are going to continue even more intensively in the next period, giving priority to those areas with the most complaints from citizens but also to those where there is an abundance of branded complaints.

At the same time, within the next few days drone flights will be carried out in areas of the Cyclades and the Dodecanese in order to establish any violations by the concessionaires of the beaches.